Parliamentary Opinions II #8

An exercise to study Parliamentary Opinions II which is based on the Opinions Column in the Parliamentary Journal published by the American Institute of Parliamentarians.

Pick the best answer or answers based on Parliamentary Opinions II. If there are check boxes, there may be more than one answer.

A director is removed using the organizations disciplinary procedures. In the election to fill the spot, the removed director wins. Is this proper?
1. Yes, as long as the person fulfills the requirements for being elected.
2. Yes. Discipline is limited to removal from office and cannot touch who can be elected.
3. No. Once removed, a person cannot be elected to the same office.
4. No. A removed director must sit out one election before being eligible for office.
The board of directors elects the chairman from its members. If the chairman resigns from the board but not his chairmanship, is this proper?
1. No as a condition of being chairman is being a member.
2. No as members of the board cannot resign.
3. Yes as this allows the election or appointment of a member who supports the chair.
4. Yes as the chair has no voice so the proper number of members have voice.
A candidate for office is elected by a majority vote. After the meeting, it is found that the member is not eligible for that office. What should be done?
1. A new election following all the rules needs to be held.
2. The person who came in second is elected and takes over.
3. The person who came in second should be appointed to the office and this should be ratified at the next meeting.
4. The process the organization uses for a resignation should be used.
The president resigns from office. The first vice president has not served the minimum number of years on the board to be president. What should be done?
1. The second vice president, if qualified, becomes president.
2. The need of the organization is more important than having served a minimum number of years.
3. The second vice president becomes president until the first vice president is qualified to hold the office of president.
4. A special election must be held due to the confusion.
The president appoints all committee chairs according to the bylaws. However, the president is seriously ill and will not be available for a long period of time. What can be done?
1. The assembly can appoint the chairs.
2. The vice president can appoint the chairs.
3. The current chairs continue in office and none may resign.
4. The committees must become inactive until the president is able to make appointments.
Can an organization provide for the life-time appoint of a director in its bylaws.
1. Yes, this is permissible but not advisable.
2. Yes, this is an excellent way to provide for continuity
3. No, directors must be re-elected periodically.
4. No. No Parliamentary Authority permits this.
Which of the following is a proper role for a parliamentarian?
1. Advising the chair
2. Preparing scripts when needed
3. Teaching classes on procedure
4. Coaching members about procedures
Which of the following is a proper role for a parliamentarian?
1. Consultant on the bylaws
2. Consultant on the rules of order
3. Trouble shooter for boards and committees
4. Presiding officer
The parliamentarian arrives early for a meeting but the chair is not available. What can the parliamentarian do to make good use of the time?
1. The parliamentarian can go over material from the convention office or from registration.
2. The parliamentarian can talk to the staff.
3. The parliamentarian can check out the meeting room to make sure it is ready.
4. There is nothing the parliamentarian should do.
A member criticizes the earlier action of the parliamentarian. What should the chair do?
1. Move on with business.
2. Defend the parliamentarian.
3. Remove the parliamentarian.
4. Tell the member that he needs to prefer charges.
During the meeting, the parliamentarian calls the attention of the chair to a serious breach. The chair is not happy about this. Was the parliamentarian correct?
1. Yes, that is the duty of the parliamentarian as long as it is done quietly.
2. Yes, the parliamentarian should bring it to the attention of the entire assembly.
3. No, the parliamentarian only advises when asked to.
4. No, nobody can interrupt the chair.
Is the chair ever allowed to directly address the assembly?
1. Yes, if the chair requests it.
2. Yes, if a member, going through the chair, requests it.
3. No, this is not allowed.
4. No, it should be discouraged.
A parliamentarian is hired for the annual meeting but the chair makes no use of her. Can the parliamentarian say something during the meeting?
1. No, the parliamentarian is there to advise the chair and cannot address the assembly without permission.
2. No as it is up to the chair whether to make use of the parliamentarian or not.
3. Yes, the parliamentarian was hired and so should say something to the assembly.
4. Yes. It is the parliamentarian's duty to say something.
Against the advise of the parliamentarian, the assembly violates the Charter of the organization. What should the parliamentarian do?
1. Write a letter to the organization restating what was wrong and why.
2. Keep a record of the violation and the advice given
3. Contact the proper agency of the government about the violation.
4. Put a notice in the newspaper about the problem.
Is it proper for a parliamentarian to serve a faction?
1. Yes, it is proper although the parliamentarian needs to remain objective.
2. No, a parliamentarian must remain neutral and serve all in the organization.
3. Yes, although the parliamentarian must make sure that it is a faction that agrees with his ideas.
4. No as only the whole organization can hire a parliamentarian.
A parliamentarian agreed to answer certain questions for a set fee. However, the situation escalated. How should the parliamentarian handle this?
1. The parliamentarian should complete the original work at the original fee.
2. The parliamentarian should keep careful records of his work.
3. If future work is indicated, it would be wise to put it on an hourly basis.
4. The parliamentarian should fully rework the original agreement.
An officer of a local organization is preparing her report. Should she include what she did for the national organization and the community?
1. Only if they are relevant to the report such as she was the representative of the local.
2. Any work with the national organization should be included.
3. Since the organization is local, community service is important.
4. Everything possible should be included in the report.
For a meeting in the past, two different sets of minutes were found -- one in the Secretary's records and one in the President's records. Which one should be followed?
1. The one in the secretary's records should be looked upon as official.
2. The one in the president's records should be looked upon as official.
3. Both should be studied and only areas that agree can be considered official.
4. Since two versions exist, neither should be considered as official.
What is meant by "-- recording of rejected motions that do not need to be recorded"?
1. The motion to lay on the table that was rejected.
2. A privileged motion that was rejected.
3. An amendment that was defeated.
4. A main motion that was rejected.
At each meeting the president tells about correspondence he has received and what he has done with it. How does the secretary record this in the minutes?
1. This is part of the president's report. How much detail is in the minutes is up to the secretary.
2. All of the important correspondence is copied into the minutes.
3. This has nothing to do with the business of the meeting and is not reported in the minutes.
4. All of the correspondence is put into the minutes.